(L) Love Live! Sunshine!! TV Series (Anticipation )

[Akito Kinomoto]

Yoshiko looks genki too, but she's also chuunibyou so her real personality seems unknown at the point. You Watanabe...not seeing it

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Nork22

Well you could see her as a genki girl because she is good at sports, but I sort of place her as more of a level headed girl, who can be mischievous, gets embarrassed about being an idol and aims to be a ship captain one day. Sorta like Umi but without the extreme reactions.

Originally Posted by Akuma Kousaka

Yoshiko looks genki too, but she's also chuunibyou so her real personality seems unknown at the point. You Watanabe...not seeing it

Really? You don't see how You is a genki girl?

In the Sunshine PV, You comes across as very high energy, considerably friendly, and extremely enthusiastic. Combine that with how she's good at sports, You definitely looks like a genki girl to me.

A genki girl is someone with high energy, an optimistic outgoing personality, and a real zest for life. You has all of that from what I can see. Leadership ability is also a plus, and wanting to be a ship captain may well speak to You having good leadership ability as well.

[Kotohono]

Originally Posted by Kakurin-san

Wait what... we are getting this school-facing-closure thing again? That's ridiculous.

Not expecting much from Sunshine, but oh well, it can only overperform if I have no expectations, right?

Yup hence where a fair bit of my doubt comes from is the plot recycling attempt.

Originally Posted by Akuma Kousaka

Wow. All-girl high schools are apparently an endangered species. I wonder what school will start conveniently losing students if we get a third series?

[Nork22]

Originally Posted by Akuma Kousaka

Yoshiko looks genki too, but she's also chuunibyou so her real personality seems unknown at the point. You Watanabe...not seeing it

Yohanne is just Nico and Ranko Kanzaki spliced into one.

Originally Posted by Triple_R

A genki girl is someone with high energy, an optimistic outgoing personality, and a real zest for life. You has all of that from what I can see. Leadership ability is also a plus, and wanting to be a ship captain may well speak to You having good leadership ability as well.

Honestly, watch the video and listen to her talk. You'll see that she's not a genki girl despite what the PV might lead you to believe.

[Akito Kinomoto]

The real questions is

how genki must one girl be
in order for fans to see
ain't that a kick?

You didn't seem genki in the PV, but then again, only Rin and Umi's archetypes clicked in my thoughts as I was watching the show. It's not until after the fact, that Maki gets recognized as tsundere or Honoka as genki, but meta knowledge often does that regardless of how well-written the character is. You Watanabe looks unique enough to where the meta can fuck off when Sunshine starts

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Nork22

For those really interested, their introduction's been translated so if you have 25 minutes to spare, have a listen and a laugh.

Based on Nork's latest reply to me, I felt I should check out this Aquors introductions video and listen to all of the Aquors girls on it. Based on that, I'm going to reply to Nork on Watanabe You later on in this post, but first I want to make some comments on the intro video in general. That's in spoiler space below.

Spoiler for My take on the Aquors intros:

What stands out most to me, in a good way, are the music choices. Each of the 9 Aquors girls gets her own piece of music. In each and every case, I felt the music piece did a great job of matching/conveying the personality of the girl it plays for. The 9 pieces of music chosen for the 9 girls are also all distinct from one another, making it clear that there's a lot of personality and background diversity in this group of 9.

There's definitely some memorable personalities here. Half or more of the Aquors girls are truly different from anybody in μ's. Dia, You, Yoshiko, Ruby, and Mari are all truly different from either of the μ's girls.

Now, some of the voices will take some getting used to. Dia is such a confident poised self-promoter, and she has such a commanding mature-sounding voice, that I have to keep reminding myself she's a high school girl. They're definitely going for HUGE contrast between Dia and her sister Ruby. Still, Dia could be an excellent character. I definitely can't think of many anime characters like her, based on this introduction.

Yoshiko is an amusing chuuni girl, with a fitting voice for that role.

Ruby probably won't be my favorite, but I get what they're going for with her, and I think they'll probably succeed with it.

Now, Mari's introduction left me confused a bit. Going by the subtitles, she said she's half-American? And here I thought she was half-French, while others thought she was half-Italian. In any event, her "partly foreigner" aspect is much louder than Eli's was, and includes neat quirks like Mari being into metal and punk. She might have loved μ's dressing up as KISS, lol

One other girl I want to mention briefly is Chika. I do see some Honoka in Chika, but this introduction did help Chika stand out a bit from Honoka for me. There was a couple things that Chika said that made her come across as somewhat softer than Honoka, and also has having a somewhat different type of leadership to her. Honoka led by almost pure zeal, resoluteness, confidence, and contagious optimism. Chika might be slightly weaker in those areas, but I get the sense that maybe she offers a softer support style of leadership. In fact, I'm tempted to consider Chika a mix of Honoka with Kaname Madoka of Madoka Magica.


On the whole, it was an encouraging introduction video. My concerns is that maybe 2 or 3 of the voices sounded a bit old for the character, and there might have been some over-acting here. Still, I've long felt that it's better to overact than underact.

Now, my reply to Nork.

Originally Posted by Nork22

Honestly, watch the video and listen to her talk. You'll see that she's not a genki girl despite what the PV might lead you to believe.

I disagree.

You speaks very clearly, very enthusiastically, and often loudly. Enough so that the subber feels compelled to end many of You's sentences with an exclamation mark, which is certainly reflective of a genki girl personality.

You, to her credit, is also eloquent, if this sub job can be trusted. I hope that's not why you argue against her being a genki girl. A genki girl doesn't have to be brainless or simple. Honoka herself often spoke eloquently, in my view.

This introductions PV has not changed my mind on You at all. You still strikes me as someone with high energy, an optimistic outgoing personality, and a real zest for life. Combine that with her being good at spots, and I don't see any good reason to not consider her a genki girl. I mean, You certainly seems as genki to me as Haruka Amami does, and neither you or anybody else seems to dispute Haruka being considered a genki girl.

So based on what I've heard/seen so far, You is a genki girl. She might be slightly more thoughtful or self-reflective than your average genki girl is, but honestly, I'd say the same thing is true of Honoka.

I also think that any other differences between You and your average genki girl is likely due to the Kancolle/Strike Witches-esque military motif that they're going with for You. But this isn't a good reason to say she's not a genki girl, in my view. I mean, a military otaku is still an otaku. A military-themed genki girl is still a genki girl.


However, I agree with you on Kanan not being a genki girl. Kanan's introduction didn't make me think genki girl at all. "Reliable laid back big sister type" describers her well, yeah.

Originally Posted by Akuma Kousaka

The real questions is

how genki must one girl be
in order for fans to see
ain't that a kick?

You didn't seem genki in the PV

Totally disagree. She seemed very genki to me in the PV, and I'm surprised that you didn't see it.

I really wonder what you and Nork associate with genkiness. Whatever it is, I think you're being too strict with it, at least when it comes to You.

[Tempester]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

One other girl I want to mention briefly is Chika. I do see some Honoka in Chika, but this introduction did help Chika stand out a bit from Honoka for me. There was a couple things that Chika said that made her come across as somewhat softer than Honoka, and also has having a somewhat different type of leadership to her. Honoka led by almost pure zeal, resoluteness, confidence, and contagious optimism. Chika might be slightly weaker in those areas, but I get the sense that maybe she offers a softer support style of leadership. In fact, I'm tempted to consider Chika a mix of Honoka with Kaname Madoka of Madoka Magica.

I can only hope that's the case. I believe I listened to Chika's audio introduction before watching the Kimi no Kokoro wa Kagayaiteru kai PV and I didn't have much of an issue with her then. Hopefully her depiction in the first PV is simply a matter of presenting her character in a limited timeframe without dialogue, if she shares some of Madoka's personality in the anime proper that would be really cool.

Originally Posted by Triple_R

However, I agree with you on Kanan not being a genki girl. Kanan's introduction didn't make me think genki girl at all. "Reliable laid back big sister type" describers her well, yeah.

If it means anything, I got that impression after reading the translation of this picture.

Spoiler for translation:

"Come on, we've still got 30 laps left to go! Left, right, and off to the future!"

C'mon, Dia! Quit wobbling like you're all tired! That's not gonna fool me!
I mean, if you've got enough energy to say the "I" in "I'm tired", then you've got enough energy to run!
I may be a simple girl, but if you're acting dizzy by the third lap, not even I'd be fooled!
We've got a long way to go as rookie school idols, so we at least need to build up the endurance to run a hundred laps!
It's okay, Dia! You're a strong girl, I know you can take it!
Once you've decided to do something, you gotta keep at it until the very end, and succeed at all costs, right?
You may be a pampered girl, but you've got real guts! I've always respected you for that, you know?
You can do this, Dia! I believe in you!
Now come on, let's get going, okay?
You gotta shout as you work those muscles!
And left! Right! Left! Right!
We're the third-years, so when the team's going through hard times, we've gotta be ready to take the lead! Let's do 30 laps with a shiny smile!

If she doesn't pass whatever standard there is for being genki, at the very least Kanan is certainly a sporty and optimistic girl. She is also in the swimming club with You, I hope they have some interesting dynamics together despite not sharing a subunit or a school year.

Additionally, I'm very interested in how Yoshiko's character will play out. Chuunibyou characters are a wildcard for me, they may be awesome (Shion from AniTore! EX) or I may dislike them (Dekomori from ChuuKoi). I hope Yoshiko is the former, I'm very fond of her gorgeous character design, her voice is quite cute and her interaction with the other girls has unlimited potential for hilarity especially when it comes to Dia and Riko.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Tempester

I can only hope that's the case. I believe I listened to Chika's audio introduction before watching the Kimi no Kokoro wa Kagayaiteru kai PV and I didn't have much of an issue with her then. Hopefully her depiction in the first PV is simply a matter of presenting her character in a limited timeframe without dialogue, if she shares some of Madoka's personality in the anime proper that would be really cool.

Agreed. Chika as a more support style leader would be a nice way for Sunshine to stand apart from the original Love Live!

If it means anything, I got that impression after reading the translation of this picture.

Spoiler for translation:

"Come on, we've still got 30 laps left to go! Left, right, and off to the future!"

C'mon, Dia! Quit wobbling like you're all tired! That's not gonna fool me!
I mean, if you've got enough energy to say the "I" in "I'm tired", then you've got enough energy to run!
I may be a simple girl, but if you're acting dizzy by the third lap, not even I'd be fooled!
We've got a long way to go as rookie school idols, so we at least need to build up the endurance to run a hundred laps!
It's okay, Dia! You're a strong girl, I know you can take it!
Once you've decided to do something, you gotta keep at it until the very end, and succeed at all costs, right?
You may be a pampered girl, but you've got real guts! I've always respected you for that, you know?
You can do this, Dia! I believe in you!
Now come on, let's get going, okay?
You gotta shout as you work those muscles!
And left! Right! Left! Right!
We're the third-years, so when the team's going through hard times, we've gotta be ready to take the lead! Let's do 30 laps with a shiny smile!

If she doesn't pass whatever standard there is for being genki, at the very least Kanan is certainly a sporty and optimistic girl. She is also in the swimming club with You, I hope they have some interesting dynamics together despite not sharing a subunit or a school year.

Ok, you made a very good case here, I have to admit.

At the very least, Kanan's a sporty and optimistic girl, yeah.

[Akito Kinomoto]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Totally disagree. She seemed very genki to me in the PV, and I'm surprised that you didn't see it.

I really wonder what you and Nork associate with genkiness. Whatever it is, I think you're being too strict with it, at least when it comes to You.

I said I didn't notice it in the PV, not that I didn't recognize it elsewhere (the introductions) or after the fact; the introductions have colored everyone much better

Originally Posted by Nork22

Chika--A lot quieter than expected
Riko--Umi and Maki's daughter who for some reason was raised by Kotori
Kanan--N/A
Dia--Japanese Eli with a side of Nico haughtiness
You--More Honoka than Chika
Yoshiko--Aika Kobayashi could not have done a better job. Outstanding
Mari--The Oujo is strong with this one
Hanamaru--Voice is too deep for what they're going for
Ruby--Pondering whether her cuteness causes heart attacks or facepalm

[Nork22]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

You speaks very clearly, very enthusiastically, and often loudly. Enough so that the subber feels compelled to end many of You's sentences with an exclamation mark, which is certainly reflective of a genki girl personality.

So let me clear up in what I see in genki girls. To me, they are the ones with boundless energy, that rushes ahead and never thinks about the consequences, does it with confidence despite not always being competent about it, and needs someone to stop them from going too far ahead. Honoka still has that but even if she did take a hit in her genki powers at the end of season 1, but for season 2 and the movie, it's still there although slightly tone down thanks to Umi.

Rather than go on too long, and as I said, if you do find the "genki" characteristic in You, then so be it. I will credit that You is pretty much Haruka Amami incarnate when you compare her to someone outside of the Love Live franchise, but the thing is, and I'm just the one saying this, is that I never found Haruka to be that of a "genki" girl. This is based on my experience playing through Haruka's route in the PS3 game with some bits of the anime thrown. Honoka to me is a pure bread genki girl, and Chika too, even as you all notice she is a bit quieter.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Nork22

So let me clear up in what I see in genki girls. To me, they are the ones with boundless energy, that rushes ahead and never thinks about the consequences, does it with confidence despite not always being competent about it, and needs someone to stop them from going too far ahead.

For what you bolded, I would put it differently.

The main problem I have with the way you put it here is that it makes the genki girl seem brainless and simple, and I truly think that does a disservice to most genki girls. It's not that the genki girl is oblivious to the world around her, it's that she buys into a very optimistic life philosophy, which isn't any less valid than any other life philosophy.

For a genki girl, taking a big risk is not as bad as letting a good opportunity slip by. The genki girl prefers to swing for the fences, and not for batting average, to use a baseball analogy. But that's not inherently dumb or wrong - Sometimes it's best to take the big risk and swing for the fences. Sometimes the more cautious/conservative approach is in fact the wrong one. μ's likely never wins Love Live, and may have even failed to save their school, if they hadn't taken some big risks along the way by really putting themselves out there.

This is a big part of the reason why a genki girl fits well as an idol group leader. To succeed in something like that, especially from an outsider position, you need to be someone willing to take some risks and put yourself out there. You have to be willing to throw caution to the wind sometimes, like Honoka did repeatedly, usually to considerable success.

So a genki girl is basically the opposite to someone that's cautious, cagey, conservative (in the broader non-political sense of the term). A genki girl wants to live life to its fullest, so she absolutely hates to pass up what looks like a good opportunity to her, even if it's very risky. But it's not necessarily that she's unaware of the risks involved, and the possible consequences that come with it. It's just that she considers the risk worth it given what could be gained by taking that risk.


Now, to be fair, I'm not positive if this "swings for the fences, not for average" applies to Watanabe You or not. But the vibe I get from her is that she's highly ambitious, and enthusiastic, and optimistic. So the impression I have of her so far is that she's someone who would usually prefer to take the risky ambitious route over a safer one.

[Nork22]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

The main problem I have with the way you put it here is that it makes the genki girl seem brainless and simple, and I truly think that does a disservice to most genki girls. It's not that the genki girl is oblivious to the world around her, it's that she buys into a very optimistic life philosophy, which isn't any less valid than any other life philosophy.

It is, and that's the beauty of it. The bit that I didn't highlight is also what makes them stand out as well. That's why my statement fits Honoka to a T. She was simple-minded (but not stupid) enough to go through everything with enthusiasm and didn't care too much what was going on around her while dragging everyone along on the ride in the first season. Umi, being the voice of reason put a lot of the brakes on her over enthusiasm, and that is why Honoka didn't fall into the dumb genki girl version of that trait.

Maybe I should have added "good or bad" to the bolded part.

I'm not putting it at a disservice for genki girls with my description, it's more like a general overview of what I believe they are. I do acknowledge there are a lot of genki girls that do fall into the dumb and annoying trait, but there are ones that balance it out to make them charming in their enthusiasm.

Now, to be fair, I'm not positive if this "swings for the fences, not for average" applies to Watanabe You or not. But the vibe I get from her is that she's highly ambitious, and enthusiastic, and optimistic. So the impression I have of her so far is that she's someone who would usually prefer to take the risky ambitious route over a safer one.

My view on You though is different, if anything she reminds me a lot like Umi. Good at sports, has her own set goals in life, gets dragged into things by her close friends, gets slightly embarrassed about the costumes she wears, but will do it all without complaining (much).

Mind you, come the anime they might change or expand on You's personality more, but before then, I'm not trying to over argue whether we are right or not about You's personality (sorry if it does).

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Nork22

It is,

No, it isn't. There are genki girls that are very aware of the world around them.

One good example of this is Haruhi Suzumiya. Haruhi is widely considered a genki girl (in addition to being a tsundere, admittedly), and she's very aware of the world around her. Haruhi has at times said some very philosophical and self-reflective comments, and she also tends to be pretty good at understanding what's going on around her, which shows a person that is highly aware of the world around her and her place in it.

What makes Haruhi a genki girl is that she's extremely high-energy, whimsical, drags other people into her adventures with her often tiring them out, and she hates to pass on anything that looks like a good opportunity to her.

"High-energy" and "hates to pass on anything that looks like a good opportunity to her" are probably the two most common threads I've seen in characters widely considered genki girls. "Obliviousness" is a trait for some of them, but not for some others. So I don't think this trait should be considered a requirement for a character being considered a genki girl.

That's why my statement fits Honoka to a T. She was simple-minded (but not stupid) enough to go through everything with enthusiasm and didn't care too much what was going on around her while dragging everyone along on the ride in the first season.

I think Honoka was more aware of the feelings and worries of the people around her than what you make it sound like. It's just that Honoka found ways to appeal to those feelings and overcome those worries. For example, Honoka was well-aware of Umi's initial shyness, it's not something that Honoka simply ignored. Honoka addressed it head-on, and made a real effort to win Umi over.

And Honoka shows substantial self-awareness, and awareness of the world around her, in Episode 1 of Season 2.

So your approach to genki girls is overly strict, in my view, when it doesn't even fit prominent examples like Haruhi and Honoka all that well.

My view on You though is different, if anything she reminds me a lot like Umi. Good at sports, has her own set goals in life, gets dragged into things by her close friends, gets slightly embarrassed about the costumes she wears, but will do it all without complaining (much).

I think you're reading too much into certain little things when it comes to what I bolded here. Will You be as difficult to win over as Umi was? Will You be as shy as Umi is? I very much doubt so.

Still, I do get where you're coming from now. There is some overlap between Umi and You. However, I think it's more likely that Riko or Kanan were inspired (some) by Umi.

[Nork22]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

What makes Haruhi a genki girl is that she's extremely high-energy, whimsical, drags other people into her adventures with her often tiring them out, and she hates to pass on anything that looks like a good opportunity to her.

Funny you should mention Haruhi. I never liked her which is why I never understood the popularity of someone as obnoxious as Haruhi. She was more bearable in the Yuki-chan spin-off. Still I'm aware Haruhi is a genki girl, albeit the more annoying ones that I don't like.

For example, Honoka was well-aware of Umi's initial shyness, it's not something that Honoka simply ignored. Honoka addressed it head-on, and made a real effort to win Umi over.

The joke on that was Kotori forgetting about Umi stressing about the skirt length requirement. Or to remedy Umi's stage fright by forcing her to imagine people as produce. Most will find it obnoxious, but the way Honoka does it has this certain charm about it that doesn't get obnoxious but rather endearing.

And Honoka shows substantial self-awareness, and awareness of the world around her, in Episode 1 of Season 2.

Did you kinda forget she imploded in the last 3 episodes of the first season because she didn't pay attention (and I'll admit that Kotori was part of the problem as well) to the things around her and herself?

I think you're reading too much into certain little things when it comes to what I bolded here. Will You be as difficult to win over as Umi was? Will You be as shy as Umi is? I very much doubt so.

Maybe, but I've been reading all the stuff Dengeki has printed so that's my basis. However, I never said You was shy or difficult to win over. She just has that thing that reminds me that's she's like Umi.

[blakstealth]

I don't feel so alone anymore...

Spoiler:

[Tempester]

Originally Posted by blakstealth

I don't feel so alone anymore...

Amazing.

I did a quick TL of what my top 3 favorite Aqours said, keep in mind that I barely know enough Japanese to understand them and I'm sure someone else can do a much better job. But hopefully this will help some others here on ASuki to gauge interest in them.

Spoiler for You:

YouTube

https://youtu.be/7WlBALo-2bQ

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Uwaaaah! This is bad, bad, bad!
Hey, heyheyhey, did you know that today is supposed to be a special day?
UWAAAAAAH! I didn't know at all! Wait, actually, it's more like I forgot... Ehehehe.
I mean, you know, after Aqours's hardcore training, and those diving lessons too, I went home and the second I saw my soft and fluffy bed, I instinctively jumped on it and rolled myself up, then immediately fell sound asleep.
So now I'm really starving, you know! Hey, so how about we eat together?
TA-DA! After I left my house this morning, I hurriedly grabbed these chocolate chip cookies, family size!
There's a lot of them, so even if we eat them together it'll totally fill us up.
With this, this is truly our Happy Valentine together, right?
Fore!/Straight forward!/Set sail! (whatever the hell ship captains say when they want to go straight forward)

Spoiler for Yoshiko:

YouTube

https://youtu.be/ZfioCXNAblk

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Today, pink hearts are fluttering about all around the world... with Valentine's Day!
On that day, what Yohane wants to do is...of course! To eat chocolate parfait with you!
Hey, hey, hey, then let's go together now, to the cafe in front of the station.
I wanted to trying eating there for a long time.
The Super Everest Mountain is waiting!
You know how hellish disasters are always following Yohane around, right?
So up to now, I've always been scared. I wasn't able to handle any challenge.
But if it's with you, at least for today, not even the Tower of Babel will crumble down!
Happy Valentine's Day! An "AAN" to you! (not sure about this one, maybe it's a hug or kiss)
Today, I shall become an angel of happiness and love!

Spoiler for Hanamaru:

YouTube

https://youtu.be/5556JkenIIw

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Ah, umm, err, today is Valentine's... Congratulations! E-eh? That's not quite right. Hehe...
I've always exchanged handmade chocolate with Ruby-chan on Valentine's Day, but this year for the first time in my life I'm giving it to someone else, so I'm REALLY nervous!
Because it's handmade, it's not nearly as pretty as store-made chocolate, and it might not even taste good. B-but, if you don't mind, please give this a try.
Ruby-chan made it in a heart shape, and I made the star sand (forgot what this is supposed to be in English, it's those sweet sprinkle things you see on the surface of a cake).
Ah, that's right, every year Ruby-chan and I make chocolate and exchange it with each other.
Hehe, someday the two of us might become brides together.

[Nork22]

Originally Posted by blakstealth

I don't feel so alone anymore...

Dia and Mari's were amazing. LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!
But really all of them were just so sweet. Lantis is doing something right.

[Raviel]

I think I got diabetes hearing Ruby's Valentine message, I'm not particularly interested in characters like her but damn, it felt like I was hearing auditory sugar.

[EroKing]

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by blakstealth

I don't feel so alone anymore...

Spoiler:

Lovely out-of-school clothes for each of the Aquors girls. The clothing choices do a nice job of showcasing personality for each of the nine girls.

Originally Posted by Nork22

Did you kinda forget she imploded in the last 3 episodes of the first season because she didn't pay attention (and I'll admit that Kotori was part of the problem as well) to the things around her and herself?

I don't think Honoka imploded because she wasn't paying attention. I think she imploded because she wanted to give it her absolute all, no matter what. The final arc of Season 1 shows the possible downside to "the swinging for the fences" approach. I like how the show is fair and honest there - sometimes it's great to go all-out, but other times it can mean over-exerting yourself and causing physical burn-out. Love Live shows both the pros and the cons of the genki girl.


On the broader You discussion - Do you think we could agree on this much?: You is like an upbeat Kancolle/Strike Witches girl. Given the military motif, I mean.